Giardia how long does it last in dogs

I think that once-off treatment is okay. They had diarrhea the first time they presented, we diagnosed Giardia and treated it, and the darn thing is still there but NOW the diarrhea is completely resolved.

In general I usually instruct the veterinarian in those cases to treat once more and then stop, even if the pet is still positive for Giardia on a routine fecal screening.

I think this is okay because I see many young pets who have no gastrointestinal signs who eventually eliminate the organism from their gut without our intervention. Human infections are usually acquired from other humans want to wash your hands after you've wiped? Thank you! Fortunately, transmission to people from dogs and cats appears to be rare. Giardia also are classified into collections based on their infectivity towards other animals or humans.

The collections of Giardia that your dog or cat may be carrying may not be infective to you, so breath a collective sigh of relief! There is little direct evidence of transmission of Giardia from pets to people naturally. Accordingly, healthy pets positive for Giardia are not considered significant human health risks for HIV-infected people by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Is there absolutely no risk to humans?

No, we can't say that because the risk is not absolute zero. It is reasonable to err on the side of caution by treating a Giardia infection initially when your pet has diarrhea to reduce potential spread to other pets, and less likely to their human owner s.

It can only be transmitted by ingesting cysts from the feces of an infected animal or person. Therefore, preventing stool from contaminating water, food, and yourself is the best way to reduce its spread. Basically, try not to eat your pet's poop, appetizing as it may sound!

Recommendations to reduce spread of the organism include:. As a fellow dog and cat owner, I can understand the concern we may have if our pet is diagnosed with something like Giardia. If your pet suddenly develops diarrhea, your veterinarian can run several different tests if Giardia is suspected. Thankfully, most cases do not make people or animals sick at all. If it does, it will usually appear one to three weeks after the initial infection, and usually the pet has watery diarrhea for a few days.

Some dogs and cats may have subclinical infections, meaning they may be passing it in their stool but have no noticeable signs of disease themselves. The CAPC suggests testing only symptomatic dogs and cats. So what happens if your veterinarian diagnoses Giardia in your pet with sudden diarrhea? Currently there are no drugs approved to treat Giardia in the United States oops. Most veterinarians, myself included, will use either a deworming medication called fenbendazole or an antibiotic called metronidazole , or even both to help eliminate the organism and resolve the diarrhea, in addition to bathing.

A veterinarian will typically use one of these drugs alone and recheck the pet and a stool sample within 14 to 28 days after finishing the medication. If the pet is still positive but the diarrhea has resolved and the pet is otherwise healthy, then medication is discontinued and I do not recheck again.

If diarrhea and Giardia persists after several rounds of rechecks and subsequent treatments, then we start looking for other causes such as:. Sure, Giardia can cause diarrhea. Sometimes it is the sole cause. Your dog might lick their paws later and become infected. Your dog can also become infected if they drink water from a contaminated water source including creeks, lakes, ponds, or puddles. The transmission of giardia from dog to a human does not occur commonly. Most humans are infected by other humans or contaminated water sources.

There is a small risk that giardia could be passed from pets to people especially in individuals that are immunocompromised. If your dog has been diagnosed with giardia, it is important to practice good hygiene like frequent hand washing and disinfecting. If you are concerned you may have gotten giardia from your dog, I recommend speaking with your doctor. The most common giardia symptoms in dogs include vomiting and diarrhea.

Because Giardia is an intestinal parasite, it mainly causes intestinal symptoms. Unfortunately, vomiting and diarrhea are both nonspecific symptoms that can be associated with many different illnesses or the ingestion of toxic substances.

According to the AKC , the most common giardia symptoms in dogs include:. If you suspect your pet has giardia, I recommend scheduling an appointment with your veterinarian as soon as possible. Sometimes, your veterinarian may diagnose giardia based on history and physical exam. Also, there are special laboratory tests that your veterinarian may wish to perform to check for giardia.

If your dog has been vomiting, your veterinarian may wish to perform x-rays of your dog to rule out other common medical conditions. Once your veterinarian diagnoses giardia in your dog, they will recommend treatment with an oral medication. The most common oral medication to treat giardia is called Panacur fenbendazole. This medication is used once daily for 5 days.

Your veterinarian may also prescribe metronidazole. This medication also treats giardia and may be effective at decreasing diarrhea symptoms. Your veterinarian may recommend bathing your dog to clean off any giardia organisms. Bedding should be washed in hot water and dried on high heat. For easy to wash pet bedding, check out this cozy calming pet bed. If giardia is left untreated, your dog may lose weight and continue to have intestinal symptoms.

Your dog is at risk for developing dehydration if the vomiting and diarrhea continue. Signs and symptoms may range from nothing at all to any of those listed below, and can last for 1 to 2 weeks or longer. Symptoms can come and go and can include:. Other, less common symptoms include itchy skin, hives, and swelling of the eye and joints. In children, puppies, and kittens, severe giardiasis might slow development, and cause malnutrition and stunting of growth.

Giardia can be treated with prescription medication, which typically must be administered several times daily for 10 day or more. Young pets may harbor the organism - and keep re-infecting themselves - for up to a YEAR. Environmental disinfection and good personal hygiene are important to prevent accidental spread to others. Individuals with immunodeficiency, such as AIDS or cancer, or who are undergoing chemotherapy, should use extreme care, especially when handling feces or after administering medication to others.

For environmental disinfection, you can use chlorine bleach, cups in a gallon of water Be sure that the affected surfaces can be safely treated with bleach first. For best results, thoroughly clean the pet's living and sleeping areas and then allow the areas to dry out for several days before reintroducing pets.

Because Giardia cysts are susceptible to drying so try to keep your environment as dry as possible. Hygiene involves washing hands carefully after handling pets in any way and after picking up yard waste, picking up ALL stools promptly, starting that daily doggie or kitty butt-wiping routine with diaper wipes, and at least temporarily refraining from allowing "doggie kisses" until we are sure that the Giardia is gone.

In rare cases where pets are unable to clear Giardia young pets, stressed pets, immunosuppressed pets, multi-pet households, shared yards longer term treatment may be required and adjunct treatment with immune system support may also be indicated.